四战之国 State under siege on four fronts
Explanation
指四面没有险要的地理屏障，容易遭受外敌入侵的国家或地区。多用于形容一个国家或地区地理位置的劣势，容易受到攻击。
Refers to a country or region that is surrounded on all sides by enemies, with no natural barriers to defend it. Often used to describe the geographical disadvantage of a country or region and how it is easy to be attacked.
Origin Story
战国时期，赵国地处中原腹地，东邻齐国，南接魏国，西与韩、秦接壤，北与燕国为邻。四面皆强敌，赵国堪称名副其实的“四战之国”。为了生存，赵国不得不常年备战，其民风彪悍，兵强马壮。然而，也正是因为这种四面受敌的地理环境，使赵国在历史长河中始终处于动荡不安之中，最终也未能免于战乱的摧残。 这便是“四战之国”的真实写照，它不仅展现了地理环境对一个国家命运的影响，也告诉我们，一个国家想要长久地发展下去，仅仅依靠强兵强将是不够的，还要有智慧的战略和长远的眼光。
During the Warring States period of ancient China, the state of Zhao was located in the heartland of China, bordered by powerful neighbors: Qi to the east, Wei to the south, Han and Qin to the west, and Yan to the north. Zhao was truly a "state surrounded on four sides by enemies". To survive, Zhao had to be constantly prepared for war, its people were fierce, and its army was strong. However, it was precisely this geographical environment that made Zhao constantly insecure and unstable, ultimately unable to escape the ravages of war. This is the true depiction of a "state surrounded on four sides by enemies". It not only shows the influence of geographical environment on the fate of a country, but also tells us that for a country to develop sustainably, it needs more than just a strong army and generals; it needs wise strategies and foresight.
Usage
指地处四战之地，容易受到攻击的国家或地区。
Refers to a country or region that is vulnerable to attacks from all sides.
Examples
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赵国地处四战之地，长期处于战争之中。
zhàoguó dì chǔ sì zhàn zhī dì, chángqī chǔyú zhànzhēng zhī zhōng
Zhao, located in a region vulnerable to attacks from four directions, was perpetually at war.
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韩国由于地处四战之地，所以经常面临来自四面八方的压力
hánguó yóuyú dì chǔ sì zhàn zhī dì, suǒyǐ jīngcháng miànlín lái zì sì miàn bā fāng de yālì
Korea's location, situated amid four powerful neighbors, frequently resulted in pressures from all sides